Ukrainе Anti-Terror Chief: This Is War

Pro-Russia protesters storm the governor's business premises in Donetsk, Ukraine, May 3, 2014.

Pro-Russian protesters gather to honor fallen comrades during fighting with pro-Ukrainian activists in Odessa on Friday, at the barricades in front of the administration building in Donetsk, Ukraine, May 3, 2014.

Russia's presidential human rights ombudsman Vladimir Lukin watches as foreign military observers hug each other following their release in Slovyansk, eastern Ukraine, May 3, 2014.

Smoke billows from burning tires at a pro-Russian checkpoint with a Donetsk republic flag following an attack by Ukrainian troops in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, May 3, 2014.

A protester walks past a burning pro-Russian tent camp near the trade union building in Odessa, Ukraine, May 2, 2014.

An injured pro-Russian activist looks on during clashes with supporters of the Kyiv government in the streets of Odessa, Ukriane, May 2, 2014.

People wait to be rescued on upper levels of a trade union building in Odessa, Ukraine, May 2, 2014.

A pro-Russian separatist guards a checkpoint as tires burn in front of him, near the town of Slovyansk, Ukraine, May 2, 2014.

Pro-Russian gunmen listen to instructions from their commander (center) behind barricades in Slovyansk, May 2, 2014.

A pro-Russian rebel aims his rifle at a checkpoint near a Ukrainian airbase in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, May 2, 2014.

Related Articles

KYIV, UKRAINE— Ukraine expanded its military offensive Saturday against pro-Russia separatists in the country's chaotic east, where European observers who had been held hostage by militants now have been freed. And there is mourning in Odessa, in southern Ukraine, where more than 42 people died Friday during clashes between the two sides.

Ukrainian forces moved into Kramatorsk, a town about 17 kilometers south of Slovyansk, where the offensive began Friday.

Vasil Krutov, the head of Ukraine's Anti-Terrorist Center, reported heavy fighting and casualties but could not offer specifics about how many people were killed or wounded. At a news conference in Kyiv, Krutov said the confrontation in Kramatorsk was developing into a protracted military conflict.

"What's happening in Donetsk and across the eastern region is not just a planned short-term action," Krutov told reporters. "It's actually war."

A combustible situation

Local television showed scenes of armored personnel carriers moving through the town, and the country’s Interior Ministry said Ukrainian forces had retaken the security service headquarters.

There also was gunfire reported in Slovyansk, where the military previously encountered fierce resistance from separatist fighters. On Friday, at least nine people were killed there, including two servicemen who died when militants shot down a pair of army helicopters.

Krutov said Ukrainian forces have taken command of all roads leading into Slovyansk.

He said the main concentration of pro-Russian militants - Krutov calls them "terrorists" - is now in Slovyansk. In addition to surrounding the city, Krutov said forces supporting the Kyiv government had taken complete control of radio and TV towers.

Militants who had been holding a group of military observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe freed their 12 captives in Slovyansk. Russian media report the hostages - seven Europeans and five Ukrainians - were released after talks involving an envoy sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But uncertainty remains. A resident of Slovyansk who declined to give his name said separatist forces there were rebuilding their defenses. "At this moment," the man said, "nobody is in control of the checkpoints. Local citizens are building back the barricades."

Odessa death toll climbs

In Odessa, the number of casualties from a clash Friday between pro-Russian activists and supporters of the Ukrainian government rose to at least 42. Most of those killed were pro-Russian protesters who’d taken refuge in a building that government activists set ablaze.

The incident in Odessa, a key port city on the Black Sea, was the most deadly since the February uprising that that led to the removal of Ukraine's pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych.

The current Ukrainian government and the West believe that the Kremlin is supporting separatists who are destabilizing the country ahead of the planned May 25 elections. Moscow said Kyiv and its Western sponsors were provoking the bloodshed and would bear direct responsibility for it.

Comments page of 2

President Barack Obama made an embarrassing blunder earlier today during his press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel when he described the post-coup government of Kiev as “duly elected”.

While Obama himself along with other members of the administration have repeatedly complained about pro-Russian “propaganda” clouding the Ukraine crisis, the President’s characterization of a government that came to power as a direct result of a violent overthrow of the democratically elected Yanukovich administration as “duly elected,” when no democratic vote of any kind took place, is either a huge gaffe or a flagrant act of deception.

Here’s the full quote in context from the transcript (emphasis mine);

“What they cannot accept, understandably, is the notion that they are simply an appendage, an extension of Russia, and that the Kremlin has veto power over decisions made by a duly elected government in Kiev.”

Of course, the government in Kiev is anything but duly elected since it was installed with the aid of the United States itself after a violent uprising that unseated the previous government which actually was duly elected.

The stage was set for the Ukraine revolt to become violent in December when US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Victoria Nuland announced that the U.S. would invest $5 billion in order to help Ukrainians achieve “a good form of government.”

The true nature of that government was subsequently revealed when leaked phone conversations emerged of Nuland conspiring with US ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt to pick Ukraine’s future puppet leaders, personally recommending Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who soon became interim Prime Minister for the post-coup regime.

Documents also emerged confirming that the Euromaidan uprising was largely financed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in concert with numerous American NGOs.

To describe the Kiev government as “duly elected” is almost as silly as saying that North Korea’s Kim Jong-un was voted into office, but not a single member of the press who was at the event picked Obama up on this huge faux pas.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

Video

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that his country could face further consequences to what he called its “already strained economy” if Moscow does not fully comply with a cease-fire in Ukraine. The two met, on Monday, on the sidelines of a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, where Kerry outlined human rights violations in Russian-annexed Crimea and eastern Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Pam Dockins reports from Geneva.

Video

Diagnosing infections such as HIV requires expensive clinical tests, making the procedure too costly for many poor patients or those living in remote areas. But a new technology called lab-on-a-chip may make the tests more accessible to many. VOA’s George Putic reports.

Video

Afghan officials have expressed concern over reports of a crackdown on Afghan refugees in Pakistan following the Peshawar school attack in December. Reports of mass arrests and police harassment coupled with fear of an uncertain future are making life difficult for a population that fled its homeland to escape war. VOA’s Ayesha Tanzeem reports from Islamabad.

Video

Despite the ongoing ceasefire in Ukraine, soldiers in the city of Mariupol fear that pro-Russian separatists may be getting ready to attack. The separatists must take or encircle the city if they wish to gain land access to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia early last year. But Ukrainian forces, many of them volunteers, say they are determined to defend it. Patrick Wells reports from Mariupol.

Video

As low oil prices and Western sanctions force Russia's economy into recession, thousands of Moscow restaurants are expected to close their doors. Restaurant owners face rents tied to foreign currency, while rising food prices mean Russians are spending less when they dine out. One entrepreneur in Moscow has started a dinner kit delivery service for those who want to cook at home to save money but not skimp on quality. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports.

Video

The United States and Cuba say they have made progress in the second round of talks on restoring diplomatic relations more than 50 years after breaking off ties. Delegations from both sides met in Washington on Friday to work on opening embassies in Havana and Washington and iron out key obstacles to historic change. VOA’s Mary Alice Salinas reports from the State Department.

Video

One after another, presumptive Republican presidential contenders auditioned for conservative support this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference held outside Washington. The rhetoric was tough as a large field of potential candidates tried to woo conservative support with red-meat attacks on President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress. VOA Political Columnist Jim Malone takes a look.

Video

New Yorkers take pride in setting world trends — in fashion, the arts and fine dining. The city’s famous biannual Restaurant Week plays a significant role in a booming tourism industry that sustains 359,000 jobs and generates $61 billion in yearly revenue. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

Video

Issues like the Keystone XL pipeline, fracking and instability in the Middle East are driving debate in the U.S. about making America energy independent. Recently, the American Energy Innovation Council urged Congress and the White House to make expanded energy research a priority. One beneficiary of increased energy spending would be the Brookhaven National Lab, where clean, renewable, efficient energy is the goal. VOA's Bernard Shusman reports.

Video

There has been a surge of interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s, thanks in part to the Hollywood motion picture "Selma." Five decades later, communities in the South are embracing the dark chapters of their past with hopes of luring tourism dollars. VOA's Chris Simkins reports.

Video

With the end of summer in the Southern hemisphere, the Antarctic research season is over. Scientists from Northern Illinois University are back in their laboratory after a 3-month expedition on the Ross Ice Shelf, the world’s largest floating ice sheet. As VOA’s Rosanne Skirble reports, they hope to find clues to explain the dynamics of the rapidly melting ice and its impact on sea level rise.

Video

A Lao dam project on a section of the Mekong River is drawing opposition from local fishermen, international environmental groups and neighboring countries. VOA's Say Mony visited the region to investigate the concerns. Colin Lovett narrates.